


To Be Tempted

by theonewhofights



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, M/M, Poor Noctis, Promptis - Freeform, Romance, also Bahamut is kind of badass, everybody pretty much goes through hell at some point, just a bit of Gladnis, slightly depressing at some points, ten years in the Crystal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-17 00:26:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11264178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonewhofights/pseuds/theonewhofights
Summary: Noctis could barely swallow around the lump in is throat. Compared to this, the other temptations had been easy: stand by his friends, fight his own battles, be satisfied with what he had, allow his emotions to be present yet not dictate how he ruled. They seemed impossible at the time. He'd thought that he would never overcome any of them. He had, of course, with time and struggle...And it was pathetic, too, how weak this one made him. How being presented with exquisite torture was what was going to keep him in the Crystal longer than anything else. Shame welled in his stomach beside the fire pooled there. No. He couldn't give in. Not to this one, not to any of them. This was not going to hold him back from delivering the Light.But as he opened his eyes and saw the temptation before him, his mind clouded, and all wariness vanished. His duty was forgotten, desperate hunger stealing every ounce of his focus.What was so awful about being tempted, anyway?---In order to exit the Crystal and defeat Ardyn, Noctis must overcome nine temptations created by the Astrals that were made to test his will. This is how he was able to resist them...and bring back the Light.





	1. Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! ok so please tell me I'm not the only one who sat on my ass and cried for a half hour at the ending of FFXV. Please. Because holy shit.
> 
> But to the story: so besides finding the end utterly heartbreaking, I was also touched by the end of Chapter 13 in which Noctis is enveloped by the Crystal, and for a rather long time. We're not really aware of what he does in there for ten years, and my fangirling self doesn't want to believe he just slept there for ten years (no shame, tho, those ten years are totally up to interpretation!). I think he went through just a bit of hell before returning to...utter hell.
> 
> Just a real quick warning, there are spoilers in this story!!! I made several mistakes reading stories that had certain spoilers and it was not a fun time :')
> 
> Enjoy!

Bahamut had been quiet for some time now, though for how long, Noctis wasn't really sure. If he was going to be completely honest, he wasn't really sure of many things: if his friends were safe, how long he had been here, or if the Astral was ever going to speak to him again. The list continued to go on and on...but those three things were the ones he could properly focus on for any length of time, thus he considered them to be at the top of said list and the most important. Everything else was just a fleeting dream.

Now that he thought about it, Noctis was sort of glad Bahamut hadn't spoken for a while. The speech of the Astral sounded odd, choppy, indistinct almost, understandable yet sounding as though it wasn't meant to _be_ understood. It made his brain swim.

_**You must focus if you wish to leave your prison.** _

_There it was._ The raven-haired man felt his eyelids flutter and open. Instantly, his sight was bombarded by the ever-changing landscape of the Crystal. Bright hues of pink, green, blue, yellow, and so many more shifted before him. Rippled. _Are they alive?_

_**In the sense that daemons are alive.** _

_...so they can die. Like daemons can._

**_You above all should know daemons cannot die. They are locked away. Banished. Imprisoned forever._ **

**_Much like you._ **

A startled gasp garbled it's way into his throat but never quite made it past his lips. Noctis felt his body jerk of its own accord. He didn't have control of himself yet. He already knew that he needn't open his mouth to speak, for the Astral read his thoughts just fine, yet his lack of bodily coordination was a new discovery. A bit of a concerning one, actually. _I'm in prison?_

_**Yes.** _

There was no need to ask why. Bahamut had already told him. Sort of. The only question now was: _How do I gain the power to leave?_

Loud rumbling took over the air. The noise rushed in and through and around his eardrums, somehow howling, crooning, and singing all at the same time. His body stretched itself, shook to wake him up. Noctis hadn't been aware he'd been asleep...though who was aware of that until they'd woken?

With a slow spin, the Prince once again found himself floating in the palm of an Astral's hand. Bahamut stood (or floated as well, whichever the god pleased at the moment) covered in armor that shone gold and royal purple. The Astral peered down at him with eyes that pierced. They reminded Noct of Ignis.

Noctis Lucis Caelum missed Ignis.

He missed them all.

_I miss them all._

_Where did it all go so wrong?_

_**The events that happened were fated to occur.**_ Bahamut said, his speech still registering as foreign, humanoid. **_They were foretold centuries ago. That is the way it was meant to be. To prepare you, the True King, and your allies._**

**_As for your means of escape...your task is simple._ **

Noct felt his eyes narrow ever so slightly (so perhaps he _did_ have a bit of control over himself, at least subconsciously). Whenever anybody god or otherwise had informed him that his quest was going to be simple, it was nearly always the opposite. The face of Dino flitted across his mind. _Go get me gems for my jewelry. It's easy!_ And then another face, again Ignis. _Infiltrating the Imperial Base should be uncomplicated, if we remain quiet._ One more. His father. _We will begin with an easy exercise by merely focusing on a spot in the distance. Once you've done that, picture the space around you fading until it matches that of your destination. Then go. Give it a try._

_Why do I continue to see them in my head?_ Despite wishing his facial features would allow him to grimace, such a thing didn't happen.

Bahamut transferred the Prince to his other hand (an action that was really strange and sort of familiar, as he was there in one hand and then he was suddenly floating atop the other...a point warp? The Astral could make him point warp?). _**Memories are strong things made even stronger within the Crystal. They remind you of whom you are, they follow you so that it will be difficult to forget.**_ _ **If they begin to avert your focus, I will erase them for you.**_

Apparently memories were not the only strong things; for the moment the Astral suggested wiping his mind, Noctis had to curl into himself as wave after wave after wave of pain hit him. Panic was there too, in the very back of his mind, but the purer feeling of hurt came first.

_No. Please do_ _not._

The Astral looked down at him and did not say anything. Noct struggled for a few moments with the pain, slowly unraveling himself from his ball-like position, and noted that his hands shook a bit. Everything could be taken from him. Take away his powers, his ability to warp, to phase through objects. Take away his Kingdom, his position of authority, his right to rule. Take away his limbs, his eyes, his soul. Take everything away from him.

Take everything except them. The three. If they wanted him, then please don't take them away. He needs them.

_Please do not take them away from me._

_**Why should I not?** _

_I love them._

_**What would you make of yourself if you returned, and they did not reciprocate your companionship?** _

_I love them anyway._

_**What of the one who makes the ground shake. What of he. He has put you down, sneered, disliked you. What of he?** _

_He is my Shield. I cannot fight without him. He stands at my side and is swallowed by the endless horde of daemons with me._

**_What of the one who lacks sight. What of he. He has been loyal to the ground-shaker, drilled your mind, hardened your heart. What of he?_ **

_He is my_ _Advisor. He is a guide though he is blinded. He nurtures me, assists me while I grow, hears me when others do not._

**_What of the one who is a monster inside. What of he. He has lied, let his nerves dictate him, gone forward without skill. What of he?_ **

_He is my best friend. I would be a shell if not for him. He cares for me, shows me the light, heals my wounds._

**_What of the three. What of them?_ **

_They are everything to me and I LOVE THEM._

Bahamut regarded the Prince, whom was emotionally torn from remaining stone-faced or letting his pupils burn. He had no control over either. His body decided for him and bent his head. Feeling the stinging behind his eyes, Noctis felt faintly shocked when all that exited him was a single teardrop. Or rather, a glowing piece of crystal. He was crying crystals. That was a new one he hadn't expected.

The Astral rumbled again. Looking up, Noct saw that the eyes of Bahamut had closed. _**Good. You have resisted the first temptation.**_

Wait...pardon? This had been a test of sorts? And he'd...passed? Bewildered, the raven-haired man felt his eyebrows pull together in response to his confusion. _I've...what?_

**_I told you before that your task is a simple one._** The tone of the god became heavier inside of Noctis's head. Bordering on discomfort, actually. _**You, as the True King, must learn to resist. The Accursed knows the ways of the minds of Kings. It is a game to he. One made too easy. He tempts: offers power, wealth, wisdom...anything a King could want. He forces Kings to slumber while they are awake, showing them everything they could have, urging them to give up and take his side. You are more vulnerable than Kings past, for he knows of you, knows he can strip you bare of your weapons save the Ring, knows he must destroy you if he is to have his vengeance. And so he will tempt you with other things, those that you will resist. You have already resisted a temptation. Betrayal. That is one of many.**_

_...how many?_

**_Nine in all._ **

Nine. He had to overcome nine temptations. Noctis hadn't even noticed that he'd been resisting _one_ until the Astral had told him so. Did that mean the same thing applied backwards? He wouldn't know if he was giving into a temptation until he was told? What would happen if he gave in to just one, he'd have to repeat all of the temptations over again? That could take a long time. Years, in fact. His friends didn't have years. Neither did he.

_**You have more time than you think.**_ Bahamut said. The Prince wished that his body would give a proper start at the sudden noise, just like he himself would've, but his limbs remained lax and unaffected. He'd temporarily retreated to his mind. Where the Astral could hear him thinking. Right. _**Your companions are secure in the faith that their King shall return to them, and will wait as long as required.**_

The Prince was once again struck with pain at the thought of them waiting for him for years on end, constantly in danger, fighting daemons, growing complacent with darkness. The pain, however, soon morphed into determination. Noctis felt his eyebrows pull together. He had to overcome these temptations? Fine. If that's what it took, he would, and he would do it swiftly.

_What are the temptations?_

**_You will not know until you come across the realization yourself._ **

Well. That was extremely helpful. Noctis mentally ground his teeth. He must think of something better to ask lest he wasted more time...speaking of which...wasn't Gladio the one to always remind him... _Hurry up, we ain't got time to waste._

More memories bombarded his brain. Too much, not quite a system overload, yet still sort of overwhelming: the halls of the Citadel, his old wheelchair, a pale face with freckles, the sensation of a successful warp strike. His body swayed in midair of its own accord. Was this going to happen every single time he recalled something?

_**Memories are stronger here.**_ The Astral repeated. Yes, yes they were. Gods forbid they didn't kill him before he resisted the nine temptations.

_How do I resist these temptations?_

**_Resistance comes in many different forms, as do temptations. Therefore, using the same method to resist every temptation will not only prove difficult, but undoable. Sometimes you must stop the temptation in its physical tracks. Other times you must destroy it. Or work with it. Or around it. Or all of them. There is no one way; at times you will have to use multiple ways._ **

The raven-haired man sighed.

_**One more question, then you will begin.** _

Wait, what!? He was going to start _now?_ Sure, he wanted to get this over with, but he needed a few more moments to ready himself( wasn't there some sort of time-out, a chance he could take a break, a breather, prepare himself, something other than just being thrown in right away?). He had so many more questions than just one: how were these temptations going to present themselves to him, would he still have his powers, wherever he went (if he was even going anywhere. For all he knew, he could just be encountering the temptations inside the Crystal, full of glittering colors that were almost alive), could he die-

_Will I have any help?_

Bahamut did not answer right away. Noctis simply floated in his palm, awaiting the reply. This was interesting. The Astral had not hesitated at his previous inquiries...what was different this time...?

_**Similar to the difference in the temptations,**_ The god finally boomed, _**Any help you** **receive while resisting them will vary throughout. Help is evasive at times and invisible to the eye. Help can also be bold, or upfront, yet dismissed out of unwillingness or**_ ** _ignorance. And still, help is neither of the two and must instead be sought by the one whom needs it, uneasy to deliver itself to one it fears or_ _admires._**

The Prince was finally beginning to understand why Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio had always appeared so confused after he relayed a message that Gentiana had sent him. He had never had any trouble figuring out what she meant by her words (whether she had shown herself to him and spoken or sent the occasional message directly to his mind), yet his three friends tended to go to bed still wondering over them. He hadn't grasped why until now: Astrals answered yes or no questions with elegant, metaphorical sentences that were almost identical to their speech, as if the answer wasn't really meant to be figured out.

_I wonder why we humans even ask_.

_**Curiosity.**_ The Astral replied.

Something that was a mixture of triumph and shock (Noctis hadn't even been focusing on his half-hearted inquiry, nor directing it towards the god) flitted through him. A straight answer. _See. That wasn't so difficult._

Bahamut didn't say anything in response, but Noctis sensed the tiniest hint of amusement in the eyes of the Astral.

The inside of the Crystal really was pretty. It was all shining, glittering, almost too pretty for regular pupils to process. Feeling his body raise his right hand, the raven-haired man watched as light gathered around his palm, different than the simple shining blue that he was used to. The light caressed his skin and danced delicately around his fingers, pulsing as though it truly contained life. Noctis found himself able to flex his pointer finger of his own will. He did so. Immediately the light changed course and proceeded to seep into his hand. Clenching it, the slightly awed Prince gazed at his now-glowing hand, knowing that it had become much more powerful than it had been before.

_Powerful enough to cause a daemon to disintegrate with a single touch. Interesting..._

A sudden sparking sensation caused the light in his hand to flicker once, twice, and then it was gone. Noctis couldn't quite squash the disappointment in him.

**_It is a power you are not yet strong enough to wield completely._** The Astral said having observed the entire ordeal. That strangely familiar sensation occurred again, that a of a point warp, and the Prince found himself directly in front of Bahamut's impassive face. _**After you have proven you can resist, you shall gain that strength. Are you ready to begin?**_

This time when offered the chance to start, Noctis did not feel as though he was going to choke on panic. That same steely determination from before overrode his senses instead. Taking an unnecessary moment to consider (for what could he say other than no, really), Noctis closed his eyes.

Letting a breath escape him, he opened them with the knowledge that his pupils were burning bright red. _Yes._

The air around him began to lose its unnatural stillness to gain a crackling, blinding energy. Bahamut vanished from view with the barest nod. With a start (a true, proper one this time) Noctis realized his body was within his full and complete control once more. He lifted his arm to shield his gaze from the light all around him that was growing steadily stronger and ever brighter, aware that his head had started to pound.

With a piercing scream the Prince dropped his arm, allowing his ruby red eyes to see the light before him. It seared his corneas, stunned his mind, sucked his body towards it in an unstoppable vortex.

_**ALLOW THE SECOND OF TEMPTATIONS...TO COMMENCE!** _


	2. Contentedness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Prince was now in full-blown panic mode. He had no control over his words. What was going on? He had to stop this, he had to declare that he would fight too, what King cowered behind a Wall, what King did that and while knowing he hadn't even earned his place yet? And if he was sending the Guard and Glaive out there...oh, gods, he was sending Ignis and Gladio and Prompto out there too, without him. Hell fucking no. He had to fight. He had to tell them he was going to fi- "The Kingdom will, later tonight, send the Glaive and Guard out to the borders of Insomnia to engage in battle with the Imperial army. I shall remain here to protect the people." NO! BAHAMUT! GIVE ME MY VOICE BACK! "This meeting is hereby adjourned."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys! This chapter took forever but it's FINALLY DONE. It's also insanely long, but that worked out to be a bit of a good thing, because the point of this particular chapter was to be a bit long and dragging...so yay!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KUDOS AND COMMENTS THEY MAKE ME SO HAPPYYYY :)

Instinctively, Noctis jolted forward, his eyes wide open but gazing sightlessly. His hands immediately went to clutch at his head as he braced himself for the vicious throb there...yet none arrived. A brief mental check confirmed that nothing else was broken, bleeding, or harmed in any way. His toes still curled properly, as did his hands (gathering his sweaty bangs while they did so). He was alright.

His breathing, however, was _not_ alright. Ragged gasps that sounded far too loud for his ears were escaping him. The raven-haired man shut his eyes, gulping once. He needed to calm his breathing else he was going to hyperventilate. Noctis had been present when Prompto had done such a thing during a particularly nasty dungeon, and had had to catch the blonde when he eventually fainted from lack of oxygen. He had then taken it upon himself to care for his friend until he could be roused, hovering over him protectively, not allowing a monster to get within twenty feet of the gunner. It had actually taken a while for Prompto to come around (nearly an hour) though Ignis credited it to the thin air in the cave they were in. Gladio told the Prince later in private that the prolonged slumber had more likely been due to physical exhaustion as well as nerves.

Reliving the story brought a small smile to his face. Yes, it had been hell. Utter hell. He'd been worrying his head off over Prom...and the effort he'd made himself exert, warping here and there to fend of daemons, to make sure they didn't get too close...Noctis had gone into stasis an uncomfortable amount of times. Yet still. They had all been together, and they had gotten through it.

_What I would give to see them again._

His breathing was now manageable. Noctis uncurled his hands and breathed deeply through his nose once more. He would see them again one day. And in order to do that, he needed to resist the remaining eight of the nine temptations.

...speaking of which.

Where was he?

Only now Noctis started to take notice of his location. For a moment he believed he was still in the Crystal; he was sitting up on something and that something was impossibly soft, soft like fresh down feathers or silk blankets, soft like the feeling of floating in the still air upon the palm of Bahamut. Opening his eyes completely, he duly noted that no, he definitely wasn't in the Crystal any longer, because the Crystal did not look so _dark_.

The Prince shuffled his limbs about, testing how far he could move. His legs were met with resistance. An object (also very, very soft) was covering them; a blanket, he discovered. Oh. After testingly pressing the tips of his fingers against the surface he was sitting on, Noctis came the solid conclusion that he was on a bed.

Moonlight filtered in through grand windows surrounding the equally grand bedframe, tall and dark and exquisite, he could tell even in the low lighting. Squinting he peered around the rest of the room: it was fairly simple, if bare, carrying all of the furniture required for a bedroom. Thick rugs dotted the floor (that Noctis realized was polished black marble) and a large closet appeared to have been shoved into the corner of the room alongside a dresser. There were only a four chairs that surrounded a low coffee table, facing away from a television that had been unplugged.

Noctis blinked. _And here I was thinking I was either going nowhere or being thrust into the midst of battle. Instead I end up...wait._ He caught sight of an object on the bedside table next to him. It was small and rectangular. _My_ _phone!_

Without hesitating further he snatched it up. It felt the same in his hand as it always had, worn in the right places that he tended to grip it too tightly. Feeling the back of the case made his eyes sting a little, for the slight groove of the Lucian crest sticker Ignis had forced him to put there remained. Such a tiny piece of familiarity. He would never take it for granted again.

He pressed the power button and watched the screen light up. His lock screen...had changed. Noctis furrowed his brows at the picture there; instead of a ridiculous selfie of him and Prompto, a picture of one of his father's rare smiles replaced it. Alright. That...was a bit strange. He loved his father, loved him even more so now that he had passed away, but why was he-

_Ah, hell with it._ The Prince shook his head at himself. _Not important. It's a small detail, and I can always change it if I wanted. No big deal._

Before he began typing his password he glanced at the time ( _2:16 a.m._ , it read). Not wanting to waste any more time over trivial things he quickly typed in the code and was granted entrance. Everything remained the same as when he had last left it, save that he had zero notifications. Wait. Zero notifications? That wasn't usual. It wasn't as though he was popular (besides being the Prince, but that was different), but he tended to have at least three or four, or at least one at the minimum from King's Knight.

He barely finished the thought before a notification popped up that blocked much of his screen. It read, _All notifications (banners, sounds, overhead text, vibrations) have been turned off for all apps. You can turn them back on manually by clicking the 'Notifications On' tab in System Settings, or by clicking below. Would you like to turn on notifications?_

_Um._ The raven-haired man shrugged. _Why not?_ He tapped ' _Turn On All Notifications_ '.

Abruptly the near-empty room was filled with the dings and chirps of notification after notification. Noctis clapped one hand over his ear and cringed away from his screen as texts and red bubbles popped up brightly. And they weren't past notifications pouring in, they were _current_. This many notifications were entering his phone _right now._

The noise continued as did the visual effects, and his poor phone was vibrating so violently his brain thought it similar to the way a toy meant for sexual purposes would. Cheeks flushing a bit at the thought and eyes watering at the brightness Noctis navigated as well as he could to the settings and turned everything except the small red bubbles off. He removed his hand from his ear, returned it to hold his still phone...and his eyes promptly bugged out.

_One thousand seven hundred and eighty five unread emails!? Over one hundred unread messages? My calendar...why are there so many_ _events?_ Bewildered, he continued to stare. _Why? I mean now I know why I had this all turned off, so I could check it manually...but why?_

With hesitance, for a part of him feared his phone would wail again, he tapped on the instant messages.

Many were from numbers that he did not recognize in the slightest. They were organized from most recent, though the top ones all said _Sent Now_. Well, almost; five spaces at the top held his attention, the slots marked _Favorites_ , that held their place there regardless of when the last message was sent. Gladio, Ignis, Prompto, strangely enough Aranea, and lastly...Luna.

Noctis choked. _Luna!_ _Luna's alive!_

He hastily opened their last conversation, which had taken place a two nights prior. It was an ordinary one, the two of them joking over her finally receiving a phone all those months ago and kidding over how strange it was not to be communicating through a book any longer. His eyes were filling with water once more. He ran a single finger down the screen. Knowing that his later self would not regret it, he typed out, **miss and love you lots, luna** , sending it right away. She was alive. She was one of his closest friends and was still the Oracle and she was _alive._

_How is that possible?_

Noctis opened the other unread messages from his friends, leaving Aranea's alone for the time being (she still maybe freaked him the fuck out). Gladio's was simple, just telling him good night and reminding him that despite his duties he still needed to train every other day. Prompto had sent a stunning picture of a white chocobo surrounded by the stars. It was Ignis's message that caught his attention, sent seven hours before: **Remember that you have a meeting tomorrow over the current situation. You'll have to dress accordingly, and two hours beforehand Prompto will be assisting you in putting on your garments. Have a good evening, Noct.**

Though he snorted at the formal way Ignis texted and addressed him, Noctis finally let the wetness blurring his sight spill over his eyes for a moment. They were here. They were all alive, they were all alright. His three were _alright._

The Prince clicked his phone into sleep. He let only a few more tears escape, then wiped his eyes. Now was not the time to cry. It was time to figure out how to resist whatever temptation he had been put here to resist.

Wherever _here_ was, as he still had no idea other than the fact that it was a bedroom.

Noctis tugged the blanket from his legs and swung them over the side of the bed. There was a lamp on the bedside table next to him that had been carved in a style he swore was familiar. But what could be familiar in this strange place, besides his friends? He reached and clicked the lamp on.

He stood up as it illuminated the small space, stretching, then hissing as certain areas in his back popped. It pained him, nearly as badly as it had before the four had first left Insomnia to begin their journey. How weird. He chose not to focus on that any more (what could he do, go crying to Ignis? ...well, he could, but that was both mortifying and rather unPrincely. He didn't want his Advisor to have to worry any more than he already did, anyway) instead favoring to find a proper light switch. There was a door to what the raven-haired man could only assume was a bathroom a few steps away, beside it on the wall two switches.

_Score._

Noctis moved and flicked one on. His eyes protested at the sudden light for a second, then adjusted.

He wished that they hadn't.

"What...the..." Was all he managed to get out in his shock.

_He was standing in the middle of his father's bedroom._

Which meant that he had woken up in his _father's bed_. Impossible though, that wasn't _possible_ , his father slept in the King's chambers, and he'd only ever been in there when he was small. After Noctis had turned a certain age he was rarely allowed inside anymore, as the King's room was the most private area in the entire Citadel. Many servants did not know where it was located; those whom did were those specifically brought up to cater to the King, such as his Advisor, or the Commander of the Crownsguard. The Prince had no place here unless he had been summoned.

Or the Prince was now the King.

Noctis could only give the room a purely confounded look. _Does this mean...I'm King? I suppose I was already King, when Dad passed, but it wasn't official or anything. But it is now. I'm King. I'm officially the King of Lucis. Which must mean-_

Holding up his right hand confirmed it. The Ring of Lucii was still on his finger. Which meant (if he had decided he was going to follow the example of his father) it was slowly draining his life away in order to maintain a magical barrier that protected Lucis. Clenching his hand, Noctis made himself look away. He let out a steady breath.

Time to figure this temptation out and get his ass moving.

* * *

Being dressed in the royal garments wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. All in all, the Prince (King?) thought he appeared semi-put-together in a plain black suit with shoes to match. The darkness of the clothing allowed him to creep along the halls of the Citadel with much more ease (he totally wasn't doing that. Creeping along the walls of his own palace. Because Kings didn't do that. Especially if they were actual Kings.). As he walked slowly along, Noctis made a mental note to thank Ignis later for choosing whatever designer he had picked as the fabric didn't itch.

_Really,_ _Noct? I'm thinking about my_ clothes _when I'm scurrying around like some assassin in my own damn house?_ Huffing at himself, the raven-haired man attempted to clear his thoughts and focus on the task at hand: trying to figure out what the hell was going on. At 2:45 in the morning.

Voices began to chatter up ahead. Three, he counted. Noctis rushed into the nearest shadow as he heard them approaching his way. Too late he realized that the shadows were not going to keep him hidden as well as he'd assumed. Cursing under his breath, he peered around for an escape. On the wall, close to the ceiling, there was a ledge that was nearly invisible, yet it was large enough for a grown man to crouch on top of. A fleeting confusion overtook him as to why such a thing was there, but he realized a second later that it was a point warp location.

_Ooooh I'm a fucking genius._ Smiling faintly, the raven-haired man mentally reached into subspace for a weapon. The sword of his father was the first thing he was presented with; conjuring it, he calculated the distance, threw, and warped.

Just in time, too. As he shook off the faint feeling of dizziness that accompanied him after a point warp, the Prince hung on to his sword and looked over the ledge to see three dark figures appear where he had been not a split second before.

"...sier on him, Gladio. He complains to me of constant backaches." That was Ignis. The accent was unmistakable.

"If he was keeping up with his physical therapy his back wouldn't hurt." A gruff voice returned. Gladio.

"Noct doesn't have time for therapy anymore, dude." Another voice, much lighter and brighter. Prompto. "He's being drilled by you, drilled by Ignis on boring political stuff-"

"-it is not _boring-_ "

"-plus he has his duties on top of that." The blonde seemed to have successfully defended his friend, but their came a snort.

"And he has to deal with your skinny ass." Gladio retorted, the edges of a smirk clearly showing in his tone.

"Hey! He _likes_ dealing with my skinny ass! He said so!"

"Look at you, being favored by the King." There was a pause and Noctis saw the largest figure bow, though slightly mockingly. "Should we start calling you Highness?"

"Someone sounds _jeeeealous_." Prompto had gained a certain lit in his voice, one Noctis knew all too well. It meant that he was preparing to irk someone and get underneath their skin. His tone was still teasing, as were the tones of the others, but the Prince could tell there was an undercurrent of disagreement among them. Now was the time to intervene. Silently he drew the sword, focused to a spot completely bathed in darkness but not too far away, then phased.

Appearing directly behind the blonde, he said with a smile in his voice (and also trying to stop himself from freaking out over everything), "No need to worry, Gladio. I favor you all equal."

His friends jumped at the noise. Amused, the raven-haired man crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the three, whom wore faces differing in their amounts of shock.

"Majesty." Ignis gave a polite bow. The others followed suit (much to Noctis' slight unease. Shit. He'd gotten a promotion...now he was going to be alienated ever further from his companions). His green eyes glinted smartly from behind his glasses. With a barely concealed start, it hit Noctis that the Advisor was no longer blind. Not that it was a bad thing at all, the best chef he knew deserved his sight almost more than anyone else he could think of; the notion just stood as more proof that wherever he was, it was not the world he had come to know. "You're up late. Or early, I should say."

Something weird happened to the Prince in which he didn't know to answer casually or equally politely. He chose the former. "Yup. Couldn't sleep. Decided to go for an evening stroll until I heard some shameless gossiping." He clicked his tongue.

Though Prompto respected formalities enough to bow, he abandoned any pretense in the next second when he shot his best friend a pleading look. "Noct, tell Gladio that you love me best! Pretty please?" The gunner grasped his pale hands together, giving them a slight shake, and batted his eyelashes far too many times to even attempt to be convincing. Noctis stifled the crazy laugh that wanted to escape. The last time he'd seen the blonde this happy was during their visit to Altissia. Then so much had happened...Luna died...he...he'd pushed Prompto off the train, said so many horrible things to him that weren't meant for his ears...nearly _lost_ him in Niflheim...

Gladiolus seemed to take Noctis's sudden silence as an answer. "See, he didn't say anything. Meaning-"

Prompto gave an exaggerated groan. "Fine, fine, we're loved equally. _Fine_."

"C'mon, now." He nudged his best friend's shoulder playfully, another smile growing on his face. "I can't be playing favorites. What kind of Prince would I be if I did that?"

There was a beat of awkward quiet for a second. Noctis looked at the three of them, whom were sending him puzzled expressions. Just as confused as they were, he bristled. "What?"

The gunslinger was the one who broke the silence (that was sort of what he did). With a nervous chuckle, he bumped the raven-haired man's shoulder right back and said, "Don't ya mean King?"

"King?" Noctis asked. He didn't understand for a moment, until- "Oh! I-"

_**You misspoke.**_ The voice of Bahamut resonated in his head. There was no pain this time, yet the surprise at hearing the Astral made Noctis stop mid-sentence and struggle to keep his face impassive. _**You cannot make these mistakes. Do it once more, and you shall begin again.**_

_Begin again?_

The thought received no response. So...if he slipped up, if he ruined the illusion, threw a slice of his reality in its face...that was as good as giving in to the temptation? He didn't even know the damn temptation he was supposed to be resisting! And he was going to have to _start over?_

Ignis stepped forward. Ever the mom (his efforts persuading the group otherwise had fallen on deaf ears), he asked with a professional but concerned voice, "Are you well, Majesty? You've woken quite suddenly, I'm sure your back is hurting, and you seem rather disoriented. Perhaps you should turn in until a later time in the morning."

The Prince (King, he was the fucking _King_ ) had half a mind to agree. He would go back to sleep and wake up in his true bedroom in Insomnia, before this hell had begun, and he would never get up, never face the world, sleep a year at a time away. Maybe invite Prompto over to play video games. Someone else besides him could save the world. He was far too exhausted.

Noctis opened his mouth to agree, then closed it. Mentally, he sighed at himself. He couldn't. It had to be him because there was no one else. There was nobody else except him. He allowed a tiny, tiny part of himself to quietly but ferociously hate that. "...no, it's alright Ignis, I'm fine." He gave a weak laugh. "Guess I'm still not used to being King yet."

"I know, it's crazy!" Prompto lit up again. Gesturing to himself, he wiggled his body a bit. "I'm still not used to wearing this sexy-ass uniform."

When Noctis really looked at his friend, he saw that he was wearing his Crownsguard uniform. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced at Gladio and Ignis; they wore the outfit of the Kingsglaive. Why hadn't his closest friend received the same honor? He couldn't ask about it anymore though, else he'd be breaking the rules of whatever place he was in (because he assumed that was a piece of information he should already know about), and _then_ he would have to start over, so he merely gave the blonde a once-over. "And _I'm_ not used to seeing you in it. Makes you look good, Prom."

"Aww, thanks buddy!" The gunner grinned shyly, one hand lifting to rub the back of his neck. In the low light Noctis could see his cheeks gain the faintest tint of red (which did something strange to his stomach. Weird. He'd think over it later). Prompto was worse than Ignis when it came to compliments, so bad that Noctis was a tad surprised he hadn't stuttered when accepting it. The Prince made a mental note to compliment him more often. Prompto deserved it. "Hopefully the ladies agree."

Gladio made a noise into his hand that sounded suspiciously like a bark of laughter. "What ladies, Aranea?"

Prompto suddenly blanched. Noctis recalled that he'd had a bit of a crush on her and expected that to present itself, but the blonde just squeaked, "Every single one of the ladies except Aranea. She's scary as fuck, Gladio."

"Maybe to you-"

"-and all of the males in the human race besides you and Ignis."

"Oh, _please-_ "

The two had stepped towards one another so they could bicker. Noting that their attention was no longer on him, the raven-haired man made eye contact with Ignis (still a bit of a strange thing to do now) and made a gesture to come closer. Stepping a few paces away and making sure his words were quieter than the banter, he told his Advisor, "I got your text when I woke up. Something about a meeting." The royal chef nodded, his expression focused. Noctis steeled himself (gods, this was going to be so weird), thought back to when his father would address subjects, and said, "Inform me. I wish to know what the meeting will be about."

The Prince (screw calling himself a King. Even if everyone else insisted on it, he knew he damn well wasn't one) almost had to bite his lip to prevent the corners of his mouth tilting upwards when he noticed Ignis straighten his back and heard his already flawlessly polite tone become ever more rigid and strict. He looked like he'd just ripped a fart and was trying to cover it up. Okay. That was a bit funny. _Shut up, shut up, Kingly shit to listen to, Noct!_ "The meeting is to be about the current situation in Niflheim, Majesty. Many citizens have been displeased with the Kingdom's previous course of action in handling the issue-"

"Which was?"

The Advisor adjusted his glasses, a gesture of discomfort Noctis recognized right away. His next words were much quieter. "The King volunteering to go into enemy territory and sign the faux peace treaty himself...resulting in his passing away."

"...oh." So his father had chosen to go to Niflheim instead of allowing them to enter the Crown City. That was the biggest difference here. His father had still died, just in a different way. At least Lucis still had their Crystal, though, and it had not been stolen. "Right. Continue."

"There has been an argument occurring for several months now over what the Kingdom's next move shall be, as you already know, and thus the Court has called for a meeting to determine what shall be done next."

"What are the current arguments being made for each side?" Shit. Differences in opinion within the Court of the King were never good, but it must be really bad if it had been going on for several months. _Why haven't I done anything about this sooner?_

"There are more than just two sides." Ignis shifted his weight to a hip. "One side believes Insomnia should hold out as long as required and the Wall should stay up; the Imperial army was greatly weakened after King Regis had fought them once he realized he was being tricked." _You go, Dad._ "Another side wishes to gather the Glaive and send them to the front lines to fight the enemy, or send them to protect the people that are under constant Imperial threat. Others think that you should be on the battlefield instead, Noct." He paused once more. "But don't worry. It won't have to come to that."

Before Noctis could form a proper reply (for why shouldn't he offer himself up to fight?), his Shield interrupted their exchange. Making his way towards the two (while an indignant Prompto was dragged along in a headlock he was fighting without much luck) he said, "Look who's gossiping now. And without us."

"You're not missing anything grand." The Advisor replied smoothly. "And you'd best release Prompto, he's turning a rather lovely shade of blue."

Grumbling, Gladio let the struggling blonde go. He moved away with a loud gasp and rubbed at his neck, clearly playing up his injuries. "Did you see that? I almost _died!_ "

" _Almost_ died. That's far enough from _completely_ dead to not be worrying." Ignis said back, only raising his eyebrows at an indignant look turned incredulous. Noctis restrained the urge to smile until his cheeks hurt at the familiar banter, because really, that would've look weird; he opted to mouth to Prompto ' _I would worry about you_ ' to which the blonde responded with a ' _duh if you were almost dead I would worry about you too, Noct_ '. "Majesty-"

"Would you stop calling me that, Specs?" The Prince cut him off, glancing from his silent conversation. "Seriously. Just because I'm King doesn't mean you can't call me Noct."

"As you wish." The royal chef inclined his head. Despite his effort to hide it, the raven-haired man still saw the corners of his mouth quirk upwards.

There was a moment of silence between the four. It was interrupted when Noctis spotted Prompto trying to conceal a yawn behind his hand. Just noticing it made the Prince feel tired as well. What with being sucked in the Crystal, with the trauma that had led up to unexpectedly leaving, with realizing he had woken up in a place like his own but not quite...he'd temporarily forgotten his own exhaustion. Stifling his own yawn, he announced, "It's bed time."

"Indeed. It's nearly three fifteen." Ignis glanced up from checking his watch to the other two men "Will you two be retiring as well?"

"Yeah." They answered at the same time. Gladio reached muss the blonde's hair and he was promptly batted at.

Noctis really _did_ yawn aloud, long and drawn-out. "What time is the meeting tomorrow, Ignis?"

"Two o'clock, precisely."

"Good, I get to sleep in."

"Not too late."

"So like eleven."

Ignis made an exasperated noise. "Noct-"

"Who's King?"

That question ended the discussion. With each member of the group bidding their farewell, Noctis waved, then began to leave. He turned around just once to watch them all go; it felt like a dream almost, seeing each of them healed, unhurt, undamaged. Freer. He knew why, too: for the moment Ignis had told him that his father had departed for Niflheim alone, he realized that the journey that the four had gone on, the one that had brought them close, then shredded them apart, then sewn them tightly together again...had never happened.

He was the King, and he hadn't yet earned it.

_And that, I think, is the worst part of it. Who can call themselves King if they haven't proven themselves...to the gods, to their father...or even to themselves?_

_Because I just can't. I am no King._

Sincerely wishing that this was all not a dream, praying that he would see the faces of his friends once more, the last King of Lucis forced his eyes to the dark hall in front of him and went back to bed.

* * *

As he had told his Advisor the night before, Noctis did not tear himself from his sheets until eleven in the (very) late morning. He'd been relived beyond belief when he found he'd woken in the same place he had fallen asleep, for part of him had convinced himself that it had been too good to be true, that it was a lie, that it was a dream and it was time to return to his living nightmare.

But not yet. The Prince had the feeling he couldn't leave this place, wherever it was, until he'd either resisted the temptation it provided (which he still hadn't figured out yet. Was he supposed to know by now?) or he'd failed to do so enough times that Bahamut pulled him from the place and...went to smite him or something. It wouldn't be the first time he'd pissed off an Astral.

Probably wouldn't be the last either.

His brunch of sorts had gone alright; since he was King now, he had to eat at a special table (something about old traditions or some shit) that contained a bit more cutlery than he was used to but no matter, Specs had taught him well. Thankfully nothing _too_ healthy was served; it amused Noctis to no end that the staff now had to abide by his (he would admit, picky) tastes. Unless he ever ate a meal Ignis cooked. Then he would have to face vegetables.

He'd also noticed that it was the first meal that he'd eaten since...wow. Since he'd scarfed down a plate of soggy fries at the dining car of the train. That felt like forever ago. But it had only been a few days, hadn't it? And his appetite had been healthy enough, not crazy or excessively hungry, so it probably hadn't been too long...

Noctis had no immediate duties (thank gods, or else he would've had a bit of trouble properly performing them); in fact, the only thing on his schedule for that day was attending the meeting Ignis had told him of the night prior. So, once he finished his meal, he noted that he had about thirty minutes of spare time before he had to meet Prompto in his chambers to get dressed (something that Noctis didn't completely understand, for firstly, wasn't his plain but impressive suit and tie enough, and second, why did he need a person to _help_ him put on clothing? No way was it going to take two hours. No way), and chose to exit the walls of the Citadel and stroll in the gardens. Some Glaive had insisted they go with him, but he denied their presence as politely as possible. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.

The fresh air outside caused the Prince to breathe in deeply. It was a clear day out, not a cloud in sight, and it was highly pleasant. Ever since the group of four had entered the capital of Niflheim it had seemed like the night stretched far longer than the day. And the nights were not pretty ones: they were sickly green, almost appearing toxic, so poisonous they suffocated the stars. But now there was blue sky, and he wished to enjoy it.

Walking at a slow pace (for his back still hurt a bit) Noctis clasped his hands at the base of his spine and tilted his face upwards to soak in the sun. The warmth seeped into his cheekbones.

_Mmmm...I haven't had a decent nap in the sun for ages._ The raven-haired man chuckled and shook his head. _Ignis would always wake me up if I started to doze off...scolded me, told me that Princes should not be so lazy. He almost looked disappointed that I'd sleep during the journey, he always took it so serious. And then...then he would hand me whatever he'd cooked for whatever meal, and he'd remind me not to inhale my food, half-smiled if I did anyway...gods, he's such a mother..._

Noctis stopped for a moment to examine a flower. It was a soft blue that transformed into a gorgeous violet at its center. Dew hung from its petals, most likely from a shower the night before, and the drops glistened in the light. Such a stunning plant. Picture perfect. He'd had no idea that it grew in the gardens. He would have to ask Ignis about it at a later time. He moved on.

In all honestly he wouldn't mind having to stay here for a while. It was nice. There was no pain here; well, there certainly _was_ , there was pain everywhere. It lurked in corners, seethed in shadows, lunged at people without mercy. But here there was less of it. Ignis had his sight, Aranea had somehow managed to break free from the Imperial Army (a story that he was probably going to have to coax from Gladio later), Luna was still alive...

Suddenly, Noctis halted in his tracks.

_Luna._

_I can talk to Luna._

With speed so quick he could've sworn he was going to hurt himself the raven-haired man shoved his hand into the pocket of his suit and pulled out his phone. Turning it on, he went as quickly as he could to his messaging app to see if the Oracle had responded. She had, with: **I miss and love you too, Noctis.** Ignoring the flush that was creeping up his face (no, he was not ridiculously flattered that the most beautiful woman he knew reciprocated his affection. Nope.) he closed out of the app to open another and type in several numbers. Then he held the phone to his face.

He grew nervous on the third ring and was seriously debating his choice to call on the fifth (he had to though, he had to hear her voice just one more time). On the seventh ring something changed.

" _Hello? Noctis?_ "

The Prince smiled widely. It was her. She sounded a bit tired, as in Tenebrae region it was still early morning, almost six. Yet she was there. She sounded tired and like Luna and _alive_. "Yeah...yeah, it's me, Luna."

There was some shuffling about on the other end. " _How are you doing, have you been well? How is the lazy King of Lucis?_ " She teased.

"Still as uneager to work as ever." He returned, resuming his walk. "I'm doing fine. How have _you_ been doing, Luna?"

Noctis heard her sigh a bit. " _I'm alright...the people in the village I'm currently in are...skeptics, to put it kindly._ "

"Skeptics?"

" _Yes. They lack faith in the gods. Many say the Astrals have abandoned them...and if they cannot believe in the gods, it is harder for them to believe in me. I can't...they won't let me heal their children, Noctis._ "

"I'm so sorry, Luna." The Prince bowed his head slightly. A heavy weight settled on his shoulders; there wasn't as much sickness in Tenebrae as there was in other places, but there were a few diseases that were rather nasty. Not to mention internal injuries, shattered bones. It was quite a bit. _So much for less pain._ "That...must be awful."

" _It is. But I will do what I can._ " Her tone changed. Clearly she wished to move to a different topic. " _How is Prompto? And Ignis, and Gladiolus, are they well?_ "

"Very. Prompto still takes his pictures, Ignis can't force-feed me veggies any more, and Gladio still likes to wind me up when we train." He picked notions that were true in both the his reality and the world here. "Same as always."

" _That's good. Please tell them I say hello._ " Luna's tone had changed again to become distracted. Noctis heard more scuffling and a few shouts.

"Is everything alright there?"

" _A fight at the market and it's heading this way. I...I must go now, Noctis, I'm sorry_."

"No need to be. We'll talk soon, yeah?"

" _Yes._ " This time she was confident. _There's the Luna I know._ " _Oh, gods, they're throwing vegetables at each other._ "

Despite the serious situation, Noctis laughed once. "Perfect choice of weapon."

" _Isn't it?_ " Luna giggled herself. " _Alright...I'll speak with you later, Noctis. Goodbye._ "

"Bye, Luna." He pulled his phone from his ear, hesitated, and hung up. Noctis laughed once more. _So, Noct, what did you do today? Oh nothing, I just fucking called my dead friend and talked about people throwing veggies at one another, nothing huge._ He bent over and laughed harder. _Because she's alive and not dead anymore and told me she misses and loves me too._

Calming himself, the Prince's eyes flicked back to his phone by habit. The clock read _12:26._

Oh. Shit.

Noctis forgot all of his glee and broke into a sprint. How in the hell had he spent an entire hour in the gardens? He'd stepped outside like what, ten minutes ago? In his hurry he plucked a dagger from subspace and chucked it. Coming out of his warp (he had managed to go halfway across the garden), he continued running like there was no tomorrow (who knew, for him there might not be) until he spotted something out of the corner of his eye and-

_Those damn pretty flowers!_

His mental note to compliment Prompto more often popped into his mind. He also needed a means of apology for keeping him waiting so long...now that he thought about it, they _did_ resemble the blonde's eyes...

_Fuck it._ Noctis scurried to one that looked a decent size and used his dagger to cut it from the bush. Making sure to hold it carefully, he began to sprint again.

Once his soles hit the marble of the palace, the Prince lost his patience to frustration and started to warp through the halls. The servants, Crownsguard, and Kingsglaive startled out of his way, giving hasty bows and shouts of "Good afternoon, Your Majesty!" He nodded to as many as he could and phased again, and again, and again. Vertigo touched the very back of his brain, a warning sign that he should take it easy, but he pushed on. He had gotten to the first hallway that led to the King's chambers before he thought to slow down. By that point he was more than a little nauseous (he forced himself not to sick in the hall. His ancestors would kill him). Leaning one hand against the wall, he took a second to catch his breath and keep his mouth firmly closed.

A quick visual check saw that the flower hadn't been damaged in his hurry. Feeling a bit more relieved than he honestly should've, Noctis shook himself, blinked hard, and continued on his way. It only took a minute or so more for him to reach the door to his chambers. Heaving a sigh, the raven-haired man jogged to the door, glancing around briefly...then slowed to a pause. Wait a moment. The hall was empty. And the only way to open the door to the King's Chambers was by using the Ring of Lucii...which no other person on the planet wore save him. Could Prompto already be inside, or was he late as well?

Puzzled ever so slightly, Noctis held the flower closer and reached his ringed finger towards the circular lock-

"Noct! _There_ you are!" A bubbly voice exclaimed. The Prince started forcefully. Spinning on his heel he watched a pale, lean figure approach him, a figure that wore a confused but happy expression. Prompto soon stood in front of him, the aura around him practically humming with energy. "Where were you, dude? I was supposed to start helping you like half an hour ago."

"S-Sorry." Noctis wondered why he was stuttering suddenly. "I was in the gardens...lost track of time, I guess."

"Aww, you didn't invite me along?" The blonde fake pouted. As much as he didn't want to, Noctis smiled at the display.

Rolling his eyes, the raven-haired man resumed the process of unlocking the door; fit the ring into the lock, twist, step to the side. "I was going to see you at noon anyway."

"Good point." The gunner nodded, obviously waiting for his friend to step in the room first. Noctis did so and knew Prompto closely followed. "Well, now it's twelve thirty, so _almost_ noon."

"Exactly." Chuckling, the Prince shook his head. "I don't even want to think about what would've happened to me if I was this late meeting Ignis."

The blonde casually leaned against the door frame. He lifted his freckled shoulders in a shrug. "Probably would've been skinned."

"Or thrown to the chocobos."

"Chocobos aren't carnivores!" Prompto protested, his hands coming in front of him to gesture around.

Noctis snorted. Opting for a low, spooky tone, he said, "There was one time on the news...a blonde man with a love of the creatures wanted to get close to take pictures...then, it was all so fast, they were lunging for him, and before anyone knew it he-"

"Noooooct!" Came a whine. "I am not going to let you ruin chocobos for me! You can ruin _anything else_ except those fucking adorable balls of fluff."

"Those _fucking adorable balls of fluff_ hate me."

"Well, duh." The blonde gave him a _you should know this by now Noct_ face. "That's because you're dark and broody and shit."

"Comes with the territory." The Prince said back, taking his jacket off and setting it on the coffee table (though careful not to harm the flower). "Oh, and, uh, speaking of territory..."

Prompto had made his way to the giant closet in the room and had opened it. Inside were dozens upon dozens of garments, all the purest black and the finest fabrics. There was the occasional glint of gold and silver accents to be found. Ruffing through some (with his back to Noctis) he said, "Yeah?"

There it was again. That strange thing in his stomach. Noctis fingered the flower in his hand, suddenly very nervous. He was hoping that his friend would like it. Why was he so worked up over this? It was a damn flower. "So, like I said earlier, I w-was in the gardens-"

"Among the _flowers_." The word was a bit drawn out, joking.

"Yeah. And...um." _Come on, just give it to him. He deserves it. Give it to him and tell him it reminded you of him._ "I-I saw some-" _I swear to the gods, do not say anything stupid, do NOT say anything stupid._ "And...uh-" _I literally cannot fuck this up. There is no. Way. I could possibly fuck this up._ "They smelled really nice-"

Prompto laughed, still sifting through the clothes. "Flowers usually smell pretty good."

"R-Right." _I can wield crystal weapons, talk to Bahamut, and accept that I have to sacrifice myself to bring Light back to the world, and I can't give my best friend a flower. What is wrong with me._ "And they were stunning, the prettiest flower I've seen...and I...I picked one for you." Noctis finished lamely.

The raven-haired man watched as his friend registered what he said, turning around, his face curious and eyes bright. "You did?"

"I...yeah." Noctis couldn't look at his best friend and found himself gazing at the floor. It offered no comfort. "Thought it would be a good _sorry for being late and maybe giving you a heart attack_ kind of gift."

_So. Fucking. Stupid. Oh my gods._

Prompto stepped forward, then reached and gently took the flower. The Prince looked up. The blonde wore a smile as he traced one of the light azure petals. "You _did_ give me a bit of a heart attack."

_Tell him how it reminded you of him!_ Noctis' brain screamed. Trying not to let it show on his face, he desperately tried to think of why specifically he'd associated it with Prompto in the first place. _HIS EYES, IDIOT, HIS GODSDAMNED EYES!_ "I, um, i-it reminded me of your eyes. Because they're blue. With violet in them."

Noctis Lucis Caelum was now officially ready to throw himself off a cliff, Chosen King or not.

"Thanks for the flower, buddy." Prompto smiled sunnily. Noctis remained tense and nervous despite the thanks, although the knot in his stomach had dissolved. Cradling the gift with utmost care, Prompto laughed once and pushed his best friend's arm. "See, you're all dark and broody again. Isn't this the part in the story where you declare your everlasting love for me?"

Noctis rolled his eyes again. "Should I get down on one knee?"

"Oh, _Noct_." The blonde feigned a swoon, his eyelids fluttering and a hand pressing to his forehead. "This...this is too much. My heart simply can't take it. I might explode!"

Chuckling now the Prince made his way towards the closet. As he viewed the selections that his friend had made, he said over his shoulder, "Well, I guess I'll just have to keep on giving you things until you do." He faced Prompto (whom had a shy look upon his face), holding up three different tops. "Help me pick."

For the rest of the time before the meeting, the two friends joked, talked, and assisted the other in getting properly dressed. Noctis now knew why Ignis had told Prompto to get dressed with him; the gunner had a rather keen fashion sense and offered good advice on what pieces to wear together ("Astrals, Noct, you can't wear a tank top underneath your jacket!" "Why not?" "You're the _King_ , ya gotta dress nice!" "Oh, don't act like you give a fuck, you're just scared Specs will maim you if I wear something unbefitting." "He will, which is why you will take that off and put on a proper damn shirt, mister. My big bad broody _honeypoo_ is gonna look proper." "Whatever you say, _sunshine_.") and was also required to help him put on a few particularly bothersome metal pieces, like a golden knee brace, and chains that went on either shoulder and connected to droop into a swooping spike along his back.

The gunslinger himself was attending the meeting too. He'd disappeared to the King's bathroom (after asking permission, though it wasn't necessary) and reappeared wearing a suit that was one of the darkest shades of blue Noctis had ever seen. He'd chosen to wear an equally dark purple tie as well and had to ask Noctis to tie it for him ("I need to tie your tie for you and _you're_ the one giving _me_ fashion tips?" "Shut _up_."), then finished the outfit by adding the flower the Prince had given him as an accent he placed in his breast pocket.

On top of complimenting him more often, Noctis added another mental note to bring him an entire bouquet of those flowers. He was _not_ taking advantage of the fact that he was now able to spoil the blonde and that he felt guilty he'd never given him enough so he was trying to make it up to him now. Nope. Not him.

_And anyway,_ the raven-haired man thought to himself while the two walked to the meeting together, _he likes it. Thank gods. It really is a lovely flower._ Noctis snuck a peek at his friend beside him, traipsing with a skip in his step, handsome face open, mouth babbling away. His blue suit hugged his form, giving the impression of gracefulness. When he glanced back at the Prince and their eyes met, Noctis' stomach gave a weak jolt. _He...looks lovely, too._

Okay, whoa. No. Complimenting Prompto, good, he deserved it and didn't get them often enough in his opinion. Giving him a flower, fine, it was a way to both compliment him and express his apologies for his tardiness. Thinking he looked lovely was cracking open doors that should remain firmly shut and locked. He was here to resist a temptation...not...not do whatever he was doing or think thoughts parts in the very back of his brain were beginning to think. Those ponderings were to be silenced while they could be.

_And Luna..._

Noctis shoved his train of thought into a space where he would soon forget it. There were other things to focus on right now. Like-

"...aaaand we're here." Prompto stopped in front of a grand door that the raven-haired man had yet to see before. Noctis narrowed his eyes at it quizzedly. He could hear nothing save quiet on the other side. His phone blinked _1:55._ Everyone should be inside already, waiting.

"We just go in?"

"I...think so." The blonde's eyebrows drew together. "It's usually pretty loud in there, even before a meeting. I dunno what's going on."

"Well, let's find out what is and get this over with."

The Prince pushed open the door and stepped in. What he was met with was not what he had been expecting; for instead of seeing a room full of arguing, bickering politicians, or perhaps several engaged in a glaring contest, or comparing notes and nodding to themselves...no. Every single face in the Court was turned towards him.

They seemed to be waiting for something. After nothing happened for a few seconds (for Noctis didn't exactly love attention, and the attention was made no better if it was grumpy older people giving it to him), some of the people in the room began to tilt their heads and gain unimpressed expressions. Some turned and murmured to their fellow Courtmates. What was he supposed to do, walk in like he had a stick up his ass? Look all royal and shit? Irritated by their quick judgement, Noctis pulled his sword from subspace, then focused and threw it the long distance to his seat at the center of the Court. Before it could embed itself in the soft chair he warped and plucked it from the air. He then spun on his heel, plopping into the King's chair.

The unimpressed glances that had been tossed around were replaced by a mixture of different kinds of faces; some pale and tense at his casual display of power, some now in a bit of awe, and some unaffected, though certainly not negative. Noctis flicked his gaze to his left and right. He hadn't seen from where he had entered, but Ignis and Gladio were sitting in chairs of their own to his immediate left and right, respectively. Prompto also did not enjoy unwanted attention, thus (with cheeks beginning to color rose) he scuttled to his seat that was beside Gladio. Good. His friends were all near.

As per his usual nature, the raven-haired man slumped in his seat, keeping his sword out and lazily putting the point to the floor and gripping the hilt. During his late teenage years up until the road trip, he had attended more than a few of these meetings with his father, and knew how things were to progress (loath as he was to admit it, he _did_ pay attention on a couple occasions. Or more than a couple occasions.). Mentally sighing, he recited to the room from memory, "Allow this meeting to begin. My Advisor shall start by introducing the topic of discussion and the most definable sides of the discussion. Ignis." The emerald-eyed man perked up ever so slightly. Noctis fought the twitching of his lips. "Stand."

Ignis stood up, launching into a five minute overview of what he had told Noctis the night before. The Kingdom was in bitter disarray over what had happened...Imperial troops greatly weakened but still gathering outside the entrance to Insomnia, mere miles away...at least four sides to argue their point...it was important, he knew, yet Noctis' natural sleepy nature was urging him to just close his eyes and let everyone figure it out on their own. Screw it. He hadn't done anything for three months (or at least, the Noctis that had been here before Bahamut had shoved him into this universe hadn't done anything for three months). What was to be different now?

"His Majesty will now pick which side he wishes to hear first." Ignis finally concluded his part. Shaking himself a bit, the Prince forced himself to pay attention.

Since he hadn't been properly listening he picked at random. Lifting his sword, he pointed it to a thin woman with fading hair and tiny round glasses. "Whichever side you are on is the side I will hear first."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The woman stood up, bowed to him, then turned to the rest of the Court. "My side believes that the Kingdom should gather the Kingsglaive and send them to the borders to fight. As time goes on the Imperial army only grows stronger. It will do the people no good to stay behind the Wall, for the threat of the enemy is near and constant."

"Keeping the people inside of the Wall ensures their _safety_." A balding man spoke. His forehead was creased with wrinkles. "All they want is to be protected; His Majesty is a young and powerful King, he can maintain the Wall for quite a time, perhaps even push it's barriers to extend outside of Insomnia."

"And leave us sitting ducks? Strain our King?" Another man sniffed. "I think not. Why waste his energy while he could instead help fight? If he is as powerful as you say-and no doubt you are, Majesty-he will be able to kill far more enemies than the entire Glaive, wipe out entire throngs of soldiers. He should fight."

Ignis was the one who cut in this time. "We will not send our King to the front lines. He has matters to attend to in the Citadel that he will not be able to on the battlefield. He must stay and negotiate peace, if such a thing is possible."

"Have you lost your damn mind, Scientia?" The same man as before, though not the balding one, gave his Advisor a crazy look. "King Regis tried to settle matters peacefully months ago...and he paid the price."

Noctis sensed something in him stir at the mention if his father, and somewhat wanted to demand the Court not speak of him, but felt too lazy and just let the discussion continue.

"I am aware." Ignis returned coldly. "Do you wish your present King to pay that same price, paid on at the hands of an enemy soldier, the Glaive unable to protect him?"

That caused everyone in the room to pause for a second. Of course no one wanted that. _If they had no King_ , the Prince reasoned in his head, _they had no protection, period_. _If I fall, the Wall falls, and Insomnia falls. Then the Empire gets the Crystal. Just like they did before. And then darkness comes and with it the pain. I should stay behind._

_I should...I should...wait. No. What am I saying? Am I the one whom has lost my mind?_ Noctis shook his head a bit, trying to clear his sluggish thoughts and focus. _Stay behind and watch as the Glaive and Guard sacrifice_ _themselves? What kind of fucking leader would I be if I did that?_

"His Majesty agrees." The balding man said. The raven-haired man's heart sank as he realized his subconscious motion had been mistaken as an answer to his Advisor's question. _No, no, no!_ "He should stay here and protect the people."

"But we will not sit and do nothing." The thin graying woman declared. Raising her voice, she challenged, "All whom wish for His Majesty to risk his life alongside the army, stand."

No one moved. Noctis could not stand to vote for he was the head of the Court and by Lucian law he could not, only observe and count, then make a final decision based on majority.

"All whom wish to do nothing, and allow the Wall to shield us, stand."

Several people stood up that time, about ten in all.

"All whom wish to send the Glaive and Guard to the borders to fight the Imperial Army, stand."

Nearly every person in the room stood up. The winning choice was obvious, but he did not want to accept it. He should have said something, why hadn't he said anything?

Ignis stood up once more. "His Majesty will now announce the final verdict."

Noctis swallowed. Nope, he wasn't going to say it, he wasn't going to, and nothing was going to ma- "How soon can the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard be dispatched?" No, no, he hadn't wanted to say that! He tried to open his mouth and take it back, but his lips remained tightly pursed, awaiting answer. _What the fuck?! Take it back, take it back!_

"As soon as tonight."

The Prince was now in full-blown panic mode. He had no control over his words. What was going on? He had to stop this, he had to declare that he would fight too, what King cowered behind a Wall, what King did that and while knowing he hadn't even earned his place yet? And if he was sending the Guard and Glaive out there...oh, _gods,_ he was sending Ignis and Gladio and Prompto out there too, _without him_. Hell fucking no. He had to fight. He had to tell them he was going to fi- "The Kingdom will, later tonight, send the Glaive and Guard out to the borders of Insomnia to engage in battle with the Imperial army. I shall remain here to protect the people." _NO! BAHAMUT! GIVE ME MY VOICE BACK!_ "This meeting is hereby adjourned."

* * *

There were many emotions that Noctis was feeling right now, guilt the most predominant, but confusion was a steady rival. Why had Bahamut made him say those words? It was surely the Astral and no one else, for no other could wield the power it took to force their own words though another person's tongue. Wasn't the god on his side? Didn't he want him to resist these temptations, whatever they were?

_Ugh!_ The raven-haired man frustratedly scuffed his shoe against the ground as he walked down the hall. _The meeting definitely had something to do with the temptation...I was more tired in there, I couldn't pay attention, even as my friends and Court practically freaking prepared to sacrifice themselves and the Glaive and Guard and I couldn't...I couldn't stop it._

Even as he thought over the situation with a strong irritation, he could feel something soothing, something coaxing, something persuading him to just let it go. Let other people handle it. That was what they were made, born, _raised_ to do. He was supposed to guard. They were supposed to protect him. That was how it was supposed to be.

_No. I protect my people too. This a two-way street._ Noctis scowled. It was like the voice in the back of his head that made him lounge around and be lazy with Prompto all day during high school had taken up permanent residence in the front of his mind. It didn't belong there. It didn't belong there.

His wandering through the halls had lasted for several hours. Despite his strange tiredness, he'd found that he was restless and had no small amount of energy. Usually when he felt like this he'd hit up the arcade with his favorite blonde and they'd hang out together...but he couldn't bring himself to talk with Prompto, just like he hadn't been able to bring himself to speak with any of his three friends after the meeting. He'd just fled from shame. How could he face them?

It turned out, though he didn't want to face them, _they_ wished to face _him._

"Hey, wait up." A deep voice called. Noctis glanced over his shoulder to see his three companions jogging to catch up with him. He stood in place and waited for them to catch up.

"Phew! What a meeting that was, right?" Prompto skidded to a stop beside the Prince. In wake of the coming battle, he as well as the others had changed into their proper garb. Noctis silently mourned the loss of the sight of the handsome blonde in his dark suit with the flower to go with it (even though he knew it was silly but he did it anyway). "One of the quietest ones I've been to."

"Try the _only_ one you've been to." Gladio rumbled.

"I mean yeah, but Noct tells me all the time how loud and annoying they are and this one seemed pretty quiet so I thought wow this is a bit strange kind of sort of a little bit-" The gunner abruptly stopped his nervous rambling when the raven-haired man pressed two fingers to Prompto's mouth.

"It was very quiet." He agreed, letting his hand fall. Was the blonde blushing? Nah. Must be the light. "And...yeah."

"A verdict was reached, and that was the goal." Ignis put in. He plucked his glasses from his face and cleaned their already spotless lens. "We came by to bid you farewell before we go off."

Noctis's stomach sank. He glanced at Prompto, whom now appeared a bit pale and tense, Gladio, who only had a single scar adorning his face, and Ignis, who had his sight. This was their first true battle. They had none of the experience they'd gained on their trip. They were anew. They were whole.

And he was going to send them to be broken all over again.

"Goodbye, Mr. Royal." Gladiolus stepped and messed up Noctis' hair, a feat he amicably protested. "Take care of yourself, alright? Protect the people, but remember to watch out for _you_."

"Feed and cloth yourself properly, Noct...don't think toast and jeans will get you by." Ignis gave him a rare smile. "And for the love of the Astrals, wake yourself up _before_ eleven."

Prompto's grin was far brighter than the Advisors. Hell, it lit up the damn room. "See you soon, buddy. I'll bring back a souvenir for ya."

"I'll be sure to hold you to that." The Prince's eyes stung. "Be careful, you guys."

"Of course." The royal chef gave another smile, still reserved, but more confident. "We'll be alright, Noct, you needn't worry."

_I'm gonna worry anyway._ Noctis nodded. The three started to move away and wave their last time. He waved back at them as they made their way down, feeling the stinging increase. They all waved until the three had to turn a corner, and then they were gone.

They were gone and he wasn't going with them.

There was nothing else to do except to return to his rooms. He took the longest way there, dragging his feet, mind in a flurry. He slowly undressed; removed the ridiculous jewelry he was not made to wear, shrugged out of his jacket, and wore black jeans and a t-shirt instead. He took his phone from his pocket and went to lay on the bed (that was not his own, for he was _not King_ ) and stayed there for a long while.

He dozed on and off, long enough to briefly see the sky go dark, long enough to know that the fighting had been going on for several hours now. They were out there fighting...

Only when he felt the unpleasant sensation of his intestines cramping from lack of food did he think to get up. It was still dark out. Noctis gave a grumble and tapped his phone on, wondering if he could have a meal delivered to his chambers, when he froze.

His lock screen picture had changed. Instead of his father, it was a picture of he and his friends. Each of them looked exhausted out of his mind, yet their eyes were alight, _awake_. They were all smooshed together in the frame, Gladio with an arm slung around Ignis, whom appeared miffed but happy, perhaps even leaning into the contact. The Shield's other arm had Noctis in a loose headlock, though the Prince didn't seem to mind; one of his hands came up to half-cover his face with a peace sign, and his left and was buried in Prompto's blonde locks. The gunner also had a hand in his hair, batting Noctis away, but his expression was laughing and his tongue was mockingly out.

Noctis' breath caught. He hadn't seen this picture before, _ever_. He didn't even recall it being taken. It was full of friendship, of unspoken bonds, of memories...

It took him all of five seconds to decide.

The Prince flew from the bed. Hastily he pulled on a pair of boots and grabbed his jacket, tugging it on while he nudged the door open. He did as he had done before mere hours ago; warped though the halls until his body had reached its limit, then continued running. There was no one to stop him. Everyone was gone fighting. Everyone but him.

_That will change._

Noctis almost cried when he ran into the royal garage and spotted the Regalia there, waiting for him. Thankful he'd remembered to stuff the keys in his pocket, he slammed the door shut, shoved the key in the ignition, and peeled off.

He drove and drove and drove, not stopping for red light, flying past stop signs. He swerved and drove his damn car like a maniac, pushing the speed to 60, 63, 68, 74 and climbing. He sped all the way to the end of the city, sensed his very bones shake when he passed the Wall and the power it contained (still held upright through his magic, even though he was leaving the city). The raven-haired man could hardly breathe. He saw it, he saw it then, the entrance to the city of Insomnia, and a little further beyond, saw the rest stop Hammerhead. All in between was vicious fighting. Blood. Weaponry.

Noctis slammed on the brakes and heard the tires squeal, put the car in park, and jumped out. He shouldn't have been able to get here so fast, as quick as a blink, yet he knew somewhere that Bahamut watched and stole his voice and gave inhuman speed.

Without thinking anymore, the Prince summoned his sword, throwing it to a point-warp location he spotted a good many feet away. Hanging there he viewed the scene that was suddenly before him: MT's, wielding axes and guns, shooting everywhere and everything, and the dark spots of Glaive and Guard, the latter shimmering with faint sparks as they changed to and from weapons, the former disappearing in flashes of blue and reappearing someplace else. Shouting was everywhere. It was chaos. It was fighting. It was raw battle.

And if he was to be their King, he would fight too.

_I will fight my battles. I will fight the battles of my Kingdom. And no one, not even myself, will stop me._

He dropped to the ground and rolled into a crouch. MT's and allies alike took immediate notice of him, both starting towards him. One nasty machine in particular hobbled forward on metallic legs, screeching and creaking and alerting more enemies to the presence of the King of Lucis. Pairs of blazing red eyes that were uncountable in number trained on him.

Noctis snarled. _Time to go bye-bye._

Sprinting forward he whirled and threw his blade. The moment that it met the metal armor of his target, a familiar pain burst forth inside of his head. He shuddered at it, but continued to hack and slash as it grew. And grew it did, did not stop growing, until the effort was too much and his knees gave out. His ears went deaf, that had to have, for if they hadn't then he would've heard himself screaming. Then the world blanked into white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) in this temptation Noctis has been King for three months  
> 2) Prompto isn't a Kingsglaive because he hadn't yet proven himself with skill or experience, he was only Noctis's friend  
> 3) Bahamut wants our poor Prince to succeed but he also wants to fuck with him a lil
> 
> I really hope you guys liked it! The next chapter will be out soon so please hang on while I squeeze in time for this fic during my crazy-ass life <3

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh just one more quick thing; I know this chapter was very short, but I promise they're going to get much longer right away. I hope you guys liked it and I can't wait to unveil this entire shitstorm. LOVE Y'ALL!! <3


End file.
